The apostolical history containing the acts, labours, travels, sermons, discourses, miracles, successes, and sufferings of the Holy Apostles from Christ's ascention to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus : a brief description whereof is here inserted : also, a narration of the particular times and occasions upon which the apostolical epistles were written, together with a brief analytical paraphrase of them : to which is added (for the better understanding of this history) a map of the Apostle Paul's travels ... / by Samuel Cradock.

SECT. I.

SAul(a) 1.1 having for some time made havock of the Church, and still breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of Christ, went at length to the Sanhedrim the supream Council at Jerusa∣lem, wherein the Priests made a great part, and were the most active men, (which C••uncil had the Cognizance, and supream Judgment of all matters appertaining to the Jewish Religion and that in the Synagogues, which were without* 1.2 the land of Judaea, as well as those within) and obtained of them letters of Commission to the Synagogues of Damascus(b) 1.3, that if he found any there that p••ofest Christ, he should bring them bound to Jerusalem, that they might be punished. And journeying towards Damascus to prosecute this cruel design, when he came nigh to the City, at mid∣day, a Light from Heaven above the bright∣ness of the Sun, shone round about him(c) 1.4, and those that journyed with him. When they were all fallen prostrate on the earth, he heard a voice speaking to him(d) 1.5 in the Hebrew tongue, Saul▪ Saul, why persecutest thou me? Saul trembling, and full of fear, said, Lord, Who art thou? The Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest; 'Tis hard for thee to kick against the pricks. Saul said, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? Je∣sus answered, Arise go into the City, and there it shall be told thee what thou must do. The m••n, that journeyed with Saul rising up from the earth were greatly amazed, and stood speechless, having seen indeed a great Light, and heard a sound of words(e) 1.6, but neither saw Christ who spake, (as Saul

did) nor understood distinctly any thing he spake. Saul also being risen up, there were Seals(f) 1.7 come over his eyes, so that when he op••••ed them, he could see nothing; Christ teaching him by this bodily blindness the blindness of his soul in spiritual things, which he was before insensible of. Being led therefore by the hand into Damascus he was there three days without sight, and did neither eat, nor drink* 1.8, (men being better able in those hot Countri••s to en∣dure long fasting, than in our colder Climate) and probably he spent a great part of that time in prayer, and humbling his Soul before the Lord for his former sins, and particularly his vio∣lent persecution of the Church of Christ. And in this time, (as some learned* 1.9 men think) he had that extasie, and was rapt up into the third Heaven, where he saw, and heard, what was not lawful for him to utter, 2 Cor. 12.2, 3, 4. For from his Con∣version to the writing of that Epistle, fourteen years inter∣curr'd.

Now there was at this time a certain Disciple at Damascus, named Ananias* 1.10 to whom the Lord spake in a Vision(g) 1.11, that he should go into the street that is called Straight and inquire in the house of Judas for Saul, telling him that he was then in prayer, and had it revealed to him he should receive his sight. Ananias is startled at this command, being a∣fraid to go to him, because of his former violent persecution of the Saints, and his present commission and authority from the chief Priests to pursue that bloody design; but Christ tells him, he was a chosen Vessel, one whom he had chosen to conveigh the Divine Treasure of his Gospel, not only to the Jews but the Gentiles also, even to the greatest and highest among them, and that he should do and suffer great things for his Name sake. Ana∣nias hereupon went to him, and laying his hands on him, said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest hither, hath sent me to thee, that thou shouldst receive thy sight(h) 1.12; and be filled, and en∣dued with those admirable gifts of the ho∣ly Ghost, which may enable thee in the discharge of that divine Office to which thou art called, and confirm thee in the faith and belief of Jesus. Arise therefore, and be baptized for a Sign and Seal(i) 1.13 that thy sins are washed away in the blood of Christ▪ and by such an open owning and professing of him, declare thy self to be his true Disciple, Ananias having thus spoken, straitway there fell from Sauls eyes as it were Scales, and he received his sight, and was baptized, and

when he had received meat he was strengthened. And then he continued with the Disciples there certain days.

Act. 9. v. 1. And Saul yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

v. 2. And desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

v. 3. And as he journeyed, he came neer to Damascus, and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven.

v. 4. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

v. 5. And he said, Who art thou Lord? And the Lord said, I am Je∣sus whom thou persecutest: It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

v. 6. And he trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

v. 7. And the men which journeyed with him, stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

v. 8. And Saul arose from the earth, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Da∣mascus,

v. 9. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

v. 10. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias, and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

v. 11. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas, for one called Saul of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth,

v. 12. And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and put∣ting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.

v. 13. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:

v. 14. And here he hath authority from the chief priests, to bind all that call on thy Name.

v. 15. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my Name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.

v. 16. For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my Names sake.

v. 17. And Ananias went his way, and entred into the house, and putting his hands on him, said, Brother Saul, the Lord, (even Jesus that ap∣peared unto thee in the way as thou camest) hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the holy Ghost.

v. 18. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales, and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

v. 19. And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the Disciples, which were at Damascus.

* 1.14 * 1.15 * 1.16 * 1.17

Act 22. V. 5. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of th•• elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to D••m••scus to bring them which were there, bound unto Jeru∣salem, for to be punished.

v. 6. And it came to pass, that as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto D••m••scus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

v. 7. And I f••ll unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, S••ul, why p••rs••cu••est thou m••?

v. 8. And I ••nswered, Who art thou, Lord? and he said unto me, I am Jesus of N••zar••th whom th••u p••rs••cutest.

v. 9. And they that w••re with the law indeed the light, and were afraid; but they he••rd not th•• voice of him that spak•• to me.

v. 10. And I said, Wh••t shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and g•• into D••••••s••us, and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for th•••• to do.

v. 11. A••d when I co••ld not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of th••m that were with me, I came into Damascus:

v. 12. And one An••ni••s, a devout man according to the law, having a good r••port of all the J••ws which dwelt there,

v. 13. Cam•• unto me, and stood, and sa••d unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.

v. 14. And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldst know h••s will, and see that just One, and shouldst hear the voice of his mouth

v. 15. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and h••ard.

v. 16. And now, why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash a∣way thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Act. 26. v. 12. Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and com∣mission from the chi••f pri••sts,

v. 13. At mid-day, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me, and them which journeyed with me.

v. 14. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, S••ul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

v. 15. And I said, Who art thou Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

v. 16. But arise, and stand up upon thy feet, for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witn••ss, both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee.

v. 17. Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I now send thee,

v. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  Saulus erat ex tribu Benjamin, in quâ tribu ••••c nomen videtur ••isse usitat••m, quod primus Rex Is••aelis hoc nomen h••beus, ex eâdem tribu erat. No∣tat nomen aliquem, quem Parentes pre∣cibus à Deo impetrarunt.
• * 1.2

  See 2 Chron. ••9 8 9.10.
• (b) 1.3

  This was the chief City of Sy∣ria situate on one side of Mount Libanus, about five or six days journey from Je∣rusalem, a H••a••he•• City but wh re ma∣ny of the dispersed Jews dwelt, and had Synagogues. Hi ••udaei etsi extra Judaeam h••bitabant, tamen communi∣onem suam colebant cum Templo & Synedrio Hierosol mitano. Itaq••e à summo fa••erdote, ••ynedrii praeside, literas pet••it ••aulus ad Synagoga•• Da∣mascena, ut harum operâ, & interces∣sione à Damascenorum Rege impetra∣ret liberta••em inquitendi si qui essent Damasci Christiani, eosque vinciendi, & Hierosolym m perducendi Romani Synedrio permittebant jus prehensionis, & verberum; non tantum in Judaeos Pa∣lestinae, verum etiam extra Palaesti∣nam, ubi erant Synagogae, quae spon∣te su•• jurisdictionem Synedrii in rebus ad religionem spectantibus agnosce∣bant. Grot.
• (c) 1.4

  Hinc discendum quod gratia con∣versionis non datur secundum praevisa merita, aut praevisas bonas dispositiones.
• (d) 1.5

  Exemplum rarae clementiae, quae est in Christo, qui hunc suum persecu∣torem ex coelo dignatur instituere, eique se manifestare. Multum erat quod in∣credulitati Thomae ita succurrit, ut ei la∣tera sua, & cicatrices estenderet, sed hic infidelitati Saulis ita occurrit, ut se ex coelo ipsi conspiciendum exhibeat & propriâ voce seipsum ei praedicet.
• (e) 1.6

  Comites Pauli viderunt lucem, & audiverunt vocem, sed non intellexe∣runt articulatum sensum, qui cum illâ voce pe••mixtus erat, & à solo Saulo au∣diebatur, vi••. Joh. 12.28.29.

  Erant prostrati, & tamen dicuntur stetisse muti. Prostrati surrexerunt quidem, attamen manserunt in loco at∣toniti. Comites percelluntur, ut Judaeis testarentur vocem ex coelo factam ad Saulum.
• (f) 1.7

  Squamae oculis ejus inductae ip∣sum effecerant caecum, ut per corpora∣lem caecitatem, caecitatem mentis disce∣ret. Hactenus non fuerat caecus, i. e. non agnoverat caecitatem suam in rebus fidei, sed visus sibi fuerat sapientissimus, Gal. 1.14. vid. Joh. 9.39.41.
• * 1.8

  See Mat. 15.32. & Mark 8.2.
• * 1.9

  Vid. Ludov. Capell. histo∣riam Apost. pag. 8.
• * 1.10

  See Sect. 13. of ch. 1.
• (g) 1.11

  Ananiam all••cutus est per reprae∣sentationem aliquam internam; qualis fieri solet in somniis, vel in ex••••sibus.
• (h) 1.12

  Non est putandum Ananiam non plura dixisse Paulo, quàm quae hic nar∣rantur. Nam non tantum ad sanandum, sed etiam ad docendum Paulum fuit mis∣sus. Et quod Act. 26.16, 17, 18. Chri∣stus scribitur dixisse Paulo, id forsan non immediatè ex caelo sed per hunc Anani∣am dixit. Plurima igitur Ananias dixit Paulo quibus ipsum tum de Christianis∣mo, tum de Apostolatu ejus latè, insti∣tuit.
• (i) 1.13

  Sacramenti vis non est alia, quam obsignatio promissionum Evangelii, & medium roborandi fidem.
• * 1.14

  v. 5. Adversus stimulos calcitrare. Eodem adagio & Euripides & Pindarus, & Menan∣der apud Stobaeum utuntur. A bobus deducta metaphora, qui cùm 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, aut stimulis recalcitrant, seipsos laedunt.
• * 1.15

  v. 7. Viri comites vocem quidem audiverunt, sed neminem viderunt. At Saulus vi∣dit aliquem, quem comites non videbant. Videtur ipsum gloriosum corpus Domini Jesu vidisse, sicut Stephanus Act. 7. & sicut aliâs, Act. 22.18. & 23.11. & 2 Cor. 12.2. Dicit enim ipsemet expresse, quod Christum viderit post resurrectionem, 1 Cor. 15.8. 1 Cor. 9.1. That Christ at this time was seen of Paul appears v. 27. & ch. 22.14.

  

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  but whether this was done by a Vision of the Spirit only, as it happened ch 22.18. or with the eyes of his body before he was blinded, is not made known unto us Certain it is, God could as well strengthen the sight of Paul, that he might see Christ in Hea∣ven opened, as he did the sight of Stephen, Act. 7.56.
• * 1.16

  v. 9. Poenitentiam sic ostendens saevitiae in Ecclesiam exercitae. Hoc est quod He∣braei dicunt 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.17

  v. 15. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, est, praedicatione Evangelii Christum ejusque bene∣ficia mundo c••mmendare; sed quod de Regibus dicitur quomodo imp••etum? Nusquam legitur quod Regibus Evangelium praedicaverit, nisi soli Agrippae, Act. 26, quem ta∣m••n lucratu•• non est: sed non tantum hic intelliguntur Reges, sed Magnates, qu••rum multis Evangelium praedicavit, tandem etiam fortassis ipsi Imperatori, Act. 27.24. Et deinde vir••u ministerii Paulini non est restringenda ad tempus vitae ipsius. Cando•••• enim, quam vivus accendit, etiam post mortem ejus multis illuxit, parvis, & magnis, eosque ad ••idem Christi adduxit.